


Cold Desert Nights

by sartiebodyshots



Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout: New Vegas
Genre: F/F, Gen, Lesbian Courier
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-13
Updated: 2018-11-13
Packaged: 2019-08-23 02:01:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 726
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16609760
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sartiebodyshots/pseuds/sartiebodyshots
Summary: August and co head north of Vegas for a bit, but they don't expect how chilly it'll get at night.





	Cold Desert Nights

They travel north for a bit.  Not very far north, but enough that they’re well away from New Vegas.  There’s a beeping on August’s Pip-Boy she wants to follow, but after she disappeared to the Big Empty for a while, neither Veronica nor Arcade are keen on the notion of letting her wander off on her own.   

It’s sweet, really.

The walk is pleasant enough, especially once they get off the relatively crowded Long 15 onto the ruins of the 93.  Somewhere along the way, the desert changes. August isn’t really attuned to the roll of the desert, but even she can feel that.  Something in the dirt, something in the foliage. Definitely more brahmin, eventually.

What August wasn’t anticipating was the temperature dropping.  It’s comforting, nice, secure. The wind doesn’t slow down any, but something about the biting chill at night stirs something in her head.  Nothing specific- but she knows she came from somewhere colder, so it must be in there somewhere. 

August enjoys the cold against her skin, especially at night when the wind dies down.  She tilts her head towards the bright stars above and her eyes slide half closed as she enjoys it.

“Why the  _ heck _ didn’t we bring more blankets?” Veronica exclaims, teeth chattering.

August’s eyes open.  She looks at her companions, only to realize that the only one not shivering- apart from her- is Rex.  

“There’s got to be a trader around here, somewhere,” Arcade says.  His voice is uneven, like he can’t stop shaking long enough to make a sentence.  “They must have blankets.”

August taps her Pip-Boy with a fingernail.  “Based on the maps- and what we’ve seen- this area was fairly deserted even Pre-War.  I doubt it’s been built up much. We might be the only people for miles.”

“Then we’re going to freeze to death.  In a desert.  _ Great _ ,” Veronica says, rubbing her arms.

August shrugs off her jacket, wrapping it around Veronica.  She has a blanket over her legs that she hands to Arcade as well.  

“Does that help at all?” August asks.

“You’re going to freeze to death,” Arcade says, trying to give her the blanket back.

“Nah,” August says.  “It’s a little chilly, but it’s fine.”

“Your jacket is so warm.  How did you get it so warm?” Veronica says with a sigh.

August shrugs.  “I wore it?”

Veronica surprises August by pressing herself against her.  It’s as pleasant as it is unexpected, and August’s arm wraps around her automatically.  

“Is this okay?” Veronica asks, looking up at her.  “You’re so warm.”

August’s voice catches in her throat, so she has to clear it before she can talk coherently.  “Uh, yeah! This is fine!”

“Thank you,” Veronica says, snuggling closer.  

August looks over to Arcade.  He’s still shivering, even under her blanket, and she frowns a bit.  She didn’t mean to drag him to somewhere where he’d be uncomfortable.  Then again, she did try to go alone. 

“I have a second arm, if you’re cold,” August says, gesturing him over.

Arcade stays firmly rooted in his spot, looking at them doubtfully.  “I don’t know…”

“You can cuddle with Rex, if you prefer,” August says.  She whistles to get Rex to his feet. “I’m worried you’re going to freeze.”

“We’re not hauling you back to Vegas if you turn into ice,” Veronica peeps out of where she’s buried her face against August.  “Get over yourself.”

Arcade mutters something that sounds like  _ easy for you to say _ before scooting over towards her.  He lets her wrap an arm around him, pressing him close.  

The both of them are shaking against her, but gradually, the tremors subside.  It’s surprisingly pleasant, sandwiched between the woman she’s fallen for and the best friend she’s ever had.  Maybe August should drag them to the middle of nowhere more often. 

They eventually have to go to sleep, so they lay down all snuggled together.  August drapes an arm loosely around Arcade’s torso, with Veronica’s arm slung around her waist.  They have all their blankets and August’s coat draped over them to help keep the heat that August generates contained.  

Veronica buries her chilly nose against the bared skin of August’s neck, and while it sends a barely surprised shiver down her spine, it also makes a grin spread across her face.  Yeah, definitely more wandering in the frigid desert. 

**Author's Note:**

> I just want all my characters to get cuddles and I'm not sorry


End file.
